Former Governor Goes Undercover

New Jersey State Legislator Becomes Homeless for the Night

Former Governor and current State Senator Richard Codey dressed up as a homeless guy and visited the shelters in Newark.We had a County Commissioner stay in the shelter in the mid 2000s.  Unlike Peter Lawson Jones's visit to the shelter, Governor Codey found serious problems with the shelter system in Newark.  He found that a mentally ill person is turned away from nearly every shelter in the community.  This would not be an issue in Cleveland since we have guaranteed access to shelter, but there are other problems that the Commissioner should have found.  The only thing that Jones reported was that there were not any condiments. 

Most shelters in the United States screen out those who are different.  They restrict those who are drunk, transsexuals, mentally ill, those with a criminal background, or those who have male children over 12.  Shelters often times force people to change to fit into their system.  In most cities, they screen out as many people as they help.  The Governor found out about these problems and is going to work to change the shelter system in Newark.  We need some politician in Cleveland to dress up and stay a couple of days in the shelters in Cleveland.  They could see the staff who don't really want to work with homeless people and should be freed from this burden through termination.  They could see the problems with food and a lack of special diets for those with diabetes and those with food allergies.  They could see how the shelters attempt to convince people to go back where they came from.  This politician could see the problems with theft and the overcrowded conditions.  The could see how the rules change frequently and how there is no independent oversight of the local shelters.  What are you and Frank doing next Sunday, FitzGerald? 

All taxpayers think that if the worst happens to them there is a place to go for help.  They incorrectly believe that there is emergency housing is available or emergency rent money can be found or that the safety net is not full of holes.  They believe that they could find a space in a shelter for their husband and three children.  It is a miracle if an intact family can find shelter without having to spend time broken up. We applaud a politician taking the time to find out how the services they support are doing in their community. 

Brian
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Homeless Congress Next Week

Transformational Art at Cosgrove Center

State Officials to Meet with Homeless Individuals Focus on Shelter and Jobs

Cleveland, OH-The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless along with the Homeless Congress will host elected officials from the state legislature to hear concerns that include shelter standards, funding for shelters, transportation, and more access to housing in general.  The meeting is Thursday March 15, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Cosgrove Center gymnasium. 
      The Homeless Congress, a group of members of the homeless community and their advocates, meets monthly to address the needs of homeless individuals and to bring those issues in front of County, State elected officials, and the media. It consists of two representatives from each Cleveland shelter and six from the 2100 Lakeside Men’s Shelter and three from the Norma Herr Shelters.  It is organized by members of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.
      While the State does fund a small amount of the budget for the local shelters, this funding has not changed in over a decade while the amount of people requiring shelter and assistance continues to increase. Though the problem of homelessness is overwhelming and funding is difficult to come by, the Homeless Congress has narrowed down some specific and immediate problems that with some attention could provide a small step in the right direction.
      The topic at the forefront will be that of our shelters, and making certain that they are abiding (and have the means to abide) by uniform health and safety standards. Additionally, transportation needs to be made more available, so that people needing to travel to job interviews and landlord interviews can do so safely. A special concern deals with housing, specifically for families due to the sharp increase in family homelessness during the downturn.  Due to overcrowding, the entry women’s shelters has been forced to close during daytime hours.  The Congress will also be asking for assistance in putting job-training programs in place that specifically serve homeless people, helping individuals to assess and improve work skills so that they may find gainful employment.
      This month’s Homeless Congress meeting will be held on March 15, at 1:00 PM  at the Bishop Cosgrove Center, 1736 Superior Ave.  (enter in the back and go to the second floor.)
      The State Elected Officials scheduled to attend the meeting include:

• Ohio Representative Sandra Williams,
• State Senator Shirley Smith,
• State Senator Mike Skindell,
• State Senator Nina Turner.

     The Homeless Congress looks forward to giving the local homeless community a voice at a state level. The meeting is open to the public and those wishing to support the Northeast Ohio Homeless Coalition as well other local elected officials are encouraged to attend.

Brian and Lauren the volunteer
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Updates from the Coalition

 

Upcoming Dates and Updated Information

The latest advocacy newsletter from the Coalition is available and was sent electronically to our members. If you would like a copy, you just need to become a paid member of NEOCH here.  We have made updates to the NEOCH website recently including an update of the 15 items available to auction for anyone who donates to the Hand Up Gala will have their name entered in a random drawing. The Hand Up Gala is set for October 21 with a kickoff luncheon for those who frequent the shelters and meal programs. 

NEOCH staff met with County Council member Julian Rogers yesterday to discuss regulating the shelters.  He agreed that there needs to be some kind or regulation in law, and was willing to put his name on the website that if presented with a law, he would support it.  This means that the Homeless Congress has gathered six members of the Cuyahoga County Council who have publicly proclaimed their support.  We hope to have a piece of legislation to discuss in the fall.  We have talked to two or three other members, but did not get a firm commitment.  

Finally, on the NEOCH website, we have updated the list of homeless liaisons for each school district in Cuyahoga County.  This resource page is available to children who are struggling with the housing, and need help to maintain their school participation.  It is federal and state law that children and youth who become homeless do not have to have their education disrupted, but who do you go to in order to get help with transportation?   This page gives the 2011 to 2012 liaisons for every school district in the County.  All of the charter and private schools must have a liaison, but we do not have the means to list all those contacts.  Contact your school administrator if you or your children need help maintaining your a stable educational environment during a period of homelessness.  If you have problems, feel free to call NEOCH at 216/432-0540. 

Brian
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Forum on Shelter Standards II

Three women who have had experience with the Community Women's Shelter were on hand to listen to the testimony at the County Council meeting on June 9, 2011.













County Council members Dan Brady, Yvonne Conwell, Pernel Jones Jr. and Sunny Simon listen to homeless people talk about the homeless shelters within Cuyahoga County.

Photos by Pleasure Simmons

Health and Human Services Focuses on Regulating the Shelters II

We have posted the proposed shelter standards on the NEOCH website along with a summary.

I was able to testify before the County Council with regard the state of the shelters in Cuyahoga County. I started out my testimony by thanking the County and specifically Ruth Gillett and Rick Werner for protecting the lives of homeless people living in the County. We are one of the last areas in the United States with guaranteed access to shelter. We do not turn people away when they show up for help. The shelter doors are never locked to those in need of a bed. This is largely thanks to the political will of elected officials over the last 30 years from the City and County, but certainly the policy was pushed and implemented by Cuyahoga County staff from the Office of Homeless Services under the direction of Ruth Gillett. This policy of not turning anyone away that Ruth Gillett has overseen for the last 17 years has saved many people's lives in our community.

I talked about the history of the shelters rising out of religious community, and the fact that none of us thought that we would still be here 30 years later and still seeing a growing problem of homelessness in America. Everyone who worked with homeless people in the 1980s felt that this was a temporary problem that we would deal with at the federal level and it would be over. There was no need for standards since this was a temporary problem and the community was going to meet the emergency needs of families in warehouses and the basements of government buildings. It is phenomenal that we are still talking about housing instability among families living in Cuyahoga County 30 years later. But the reality is that we are at this place and it does not look like we will see an end to homelessness anytime in the near future. So, it is the position of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless as well as the Homeless Congress that we need a law to set a minimum standard for the shelters. We need to assure that if a person is in need on the East Side or the West Side they can expect similar treatment.

I talked about the need for regulations to avoid future tragedies within the shelters. Cleveland residents have seen people die or end up in the hospitals after staying in the shelters. I talked about the women being taken by ambulance to the hospital and when they return to the shelter all of their personal belongings were thrown away. We need minimum standards to assure that public taxpayer dollars are being used effectively. I urged the County Council to pass this legislation that Homeless Congress members spent the last four years working on. I gave some details about how our recommendations were put together and developed. I mentioned this is merely a suggestion that we are all willing to negotiate the details. We put our recommendations together as a starting point that if implemented, we would have the best publicly funded shelters in the country. The document that we presented was influenced by the recently passed San Francisco legislation, and we hope will be the basis for negotiations with the County.

I gave some details on common complaints within the community that NEOCH has collected over the years. While we are not in charge of the shelters or the funding for the shelters, many homeless people come to us to resolve their issues. The biggest concern was people having to sleep in the hospital waiting rooms or bus shelters after being discharged from the shelters at night. Improper discharges or punishments being enforced before a grievance can be heard are the main issues that homeless people want addressed. We have heard many complaints about staff mistreatment that could be addressed with conflict resolution or mediation training. I talked about the improper contact between security guards and residents. There were many facility problems such as leaking roofs as well as numerous food issues within the shelters. All of these issues are addressed in proposed shelter standards that we have developed.

The County brings in over $30 million for homeless services, it seems that we could put a little aside to enforce shelter standards. Of the 19 shelters in Cuyahoga County, 16 of them are heavily dependent on taxpayer dollars. The county has a great deal of leverage with the shelters in enforcing regulations. The Coalition receives regular complaints and we hear all these tough stories about shelters. Every other system of residential care (prisons, nursing homes, treatment centers, hospitals) have regulations. The notable exception is the shelter system, which serves 6,000 to 7,000 Cuyahoga County tax payers per year. It has to be said that the workers at the shelters want to do the right thing, and are some of the best and brightest in our society working at the local homeless shelters. There are mistakes and misunderstandings that take place in any job. We need government to step in to provide quality oversight of these facilities. We need elected officials to be aware how the tax dollars that they deliver to these non-profits agencies are being utilized. Finally, I urged the Council to take up this legislation and pass a bill that would regulate the shelters in Cuyahoga County.

A number of the members asked questions, and I made every effort to answer those issues. Councilwoman Sunny Simon asked about the City of Cleveland and if they had taken this up. I explained that we had tried to convince the City to take up this issue, but the administration was unwilling. There were concerns over cost and which agency within the City has the expertise to oversee these rules. One member asked about the County Office of Homeless Services taking up this issue. I said that as an OHS Advisory member, the group has discussed the issue but most of the discussion is to improve the contracting process. The Homeless Congress and the Coalition are clear that we want a law passed that will survive different administrations and that a homeless person can go to if they feel the shelter has done wrong. Contracts are not publicly available, and there are guidelines that are contained in all the existing contracts. There are problems with the shelters and just improving the contracting guidelines will not work. There was some concern expressed about the expense of this law. There was also concern that the County has not passed legislation with the new legislative branch of government, so this will be one of the first pieces taken up by the new government.

Brian Davis
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Forum on Shelter Standards

Photos by Pleasure Simmons

Health and Human Services Hearing Focuses on Shelters

About 15 homeless people attended a hearing held by Cuyahoga County Council members on Thursday June 9 at the Justice Center. Six individuals stepped up to the microphone to talk about the conditions within the shelters, and many asked that County officials put in place regulations to assure that public taxpayer money are used effectively. All six of the people who testified did an amazing job. A few were currently homeless and had to step up to the microphone while the directors of some of the shelters were sitting in the audience. That takes a great deal of courage to speak out about the place in which they are currently sleeping. The first speaker was a woman from the Community Women's shelter who talked about how there is a need to improve the conditions at the shelter.

The first planned speaker was Don who had stayed at a number of shelters, and had concern that there was very little follow up services. Don mentioned how he received very little help from the shelter staff in finding or maintaining housing. He asked that the Council make housing assistance and follow up services a top priority for those sleeping in the shelters from the first day that a person enters. Rosie was next up and she talked about the problems that the women had last summer, when the County placed the 80 to 110 women into a shelter with only one shower and a small number of toilets. She talked in great detail about women traveling to Tower City to use the facilities because of a lack of toilets at the temporary shelter or the women using the urinals at the shelter because the bathroom was too small for the 100 women who slept there last summer.

Sheri was up next and she talked about her previous experience at the shelters, and the difficulty in finding food for her special dietary needs. She talked about regularly going hungry because she could not find food to meet her doctor mandated diet. Sheri talked about the lack of healthy foods that are unfortunately served by many shelters. Norman, a veteran who currently sleeps in one of the shelters talked about the difficulty in filing a grievance, and his inability to find a place where all the rules of the shelter were written down. Norman talked about the staff making arbitrary decisions about the rules because there is no one demanding fair and equal treatment of the residents.

Darrell, also currently living in the shelter, spoke from his perspective as a health care professional about the unhealthy conditions within the shelters. He talked about the mold at the men's shelter and the horrible conditions within the women's shelter. Darrell mentioned the need for a better trained staff to serve the population. He said that there needs to be more oversight of the health care needs of the residents of the shelters in Cleveland and urged the Council to adopt a set of rules.

All of the members of the Homeless Congress who testified did a great job of briefly explaining the problem and talking about the legislation they worked on to solve these problems. All were clear and concise in describing the problems within the shelters. The six members were respectful of the shelters and the staff at the facilities, but pointed out that there was a need for improvements. All were respectful of the County Council members who listened intently to the diversity of issues brought up by the residents. The County Council chambers are intimidating with a podium standing before a half circle of 16 foreboding chairs. Health and Human Services chair Dan Brady hosted the discussion. We need to thank Council members Michael Gallagher, Sunny Simon, Pernel Jones Jr., and Yvonne Conwell who all attended and listened intently to the group of individuals with homeless experiences.

I had the good fortune of testifying before the County Council on behalf of the homeless population. I will post the notes on my testimony and the questions that came up from the members of the Council next. Stay tuned.

Brian Davis
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Cuyahoga County To Listen to Homeless Thursday

Homeless Will Testify Before County Council

The Homeless Congress members as well as staff of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless will testify on Thursday June 9, 2011 before the Cuyahoga County Council Human Services Subcommittee. The meeting takes place at the Justice Center headquarters of the County Council at 1 p.m. on June 9 before Dan Brady’s County Health and Human Services Committee. Four members of the Homeless Congress who have all stayed in the shelters will testify about their previous experience and the need for a law regulating the shelters.

“Many homeless people are concerned about the conditions within the shelters, and we want a local law that will regulate the publicly funded emergency housing facilities,” said Brian Davis of NEOCH. The Congress, the Coalition, and homeless people are asking for local regulations that will be enforced by some office within the County with an ability for homeless people to file a grievance if the shelter is not performing. “We are willing to negotiate on exactly what the legislation looks like, but we want a place that will have the authority to oversee the shelters. We want to avoid another situation in which 100 women slept in a shelter for the summer with only one working shower as happened this last summer,” said Davis.

Additional members of the Homeless Congress and homeless people will be in the audience to hear the testimony and urge the County Council to introduce a bill that would regulate the shelters. The County oversees more than $30 million on homeless services, and does not have a set of local regulations to oversee the shelters. There are regulations of nursing homes, treatment centers, group homes, prisons, but not shelters. Homeless people are just asking for a minimum standard with regard to any shelter in Cuyahoga County receiving tax payer support.

Brian
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Homeless Congress Last Week

Thank you Dale Miller For Attending

County Councilman Dale Miller attended the February meeting of the Homeless Congress. We had around 30 homeless or recently homeless individuals attend to ask questions. There was a great deal of discussion regarding the County passage of a law to regulate the shelters. We talked about why the City of Cleveland was not willing to introduce the legislation. Miller warned that the County Council is still a work in progress and there is still uncertainty regarding enforcement. Councilman Miller was supportive of the idea, and expressed support for introducing the legislation if nothing else to introduce a community discussion about shelters.

There were questions about the move of the fragile populations from North Point to 2100 Lakeside and why we cannot try to renovate some of the abandoned properties locally. There were calls for the county to secretly visit some of the shelters to see the treatment that goes on at night. There was continued discussion about the problems at the Community Women's Shelter.

Randy Wilson and Tim Walters attended to talk about the possible cuts in the state budget, and some upcoming advocacy events including a bus trip down to Columbus. The shelter standards steering committee gave a brief report of their plans to see the legislation through to becoming a law. The next meeting in March will focus on foreclosures.

Brian

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Our Thoughts are with the Men at St. Hermans

Hospitality in Ohio City

As most have seen, the spiritual leader of St. Herman's Shelter and meal program is having significant health issues. There are now calls by "community leaders" for this capricious and whimsical director to leave the facility and focus his attention on his health. NEOCH staff do not have much contact with St. Herman's except that we all respect its value on the near west side of Cleveland. The facility does not receive any public money, but adds a strong dose of religion to every meal. They operate a small shelter, but their meal program is critical for the community. There are other meals in Ohio City and Tremont (St. Augustine, West Side Catholic, St. Malachi, and St. Patrick's), but on the weekend and on Friday night St. Herman's is the only place to go.

We hope that the gentrification crowd does not use the health issues of the director to try to close down this facility. We hope that the near west crowd does not use the guns issue to continue their effort to dislodge poor people from neighborhood. We don't want to see St. Herman's go the way of the Jay Hotel. We need a House of Hospitality like St. Hermans in every neighborhood including Ohio City and another one in Tremont as well as one in East Cleveland, Cleveland Hts, Lakewood, and Euclid. It is a refuge from the cold and a sanctuary from an overburdened society in a residential setting. St. Hermans is a part of our social safety net, and we believe the facility needs to find a new leader who can carry on the mission.

It was interesting to note that "community leaders" were concerned about a cache of guns across the street from the shelter, but had no problem with their tax dollars going to other shelters with documented substandard conditions in this community. One national expert noted that we were lucky that this facility was not administered by a Muslim congregation, because this story would have had a much different tenor. At this point, no one is alleging that there were guns on the site of the shelter or meal program. It seems that the agency that runs the largest shelter (Lutheran Metro Ministry) is going to step in to keep the program in operation. According to the Plain Dealer, Fr. John Henry is stepping aside. All these are positives for the facility. I hope that St. Herman's many supporters will come together to secure the facility for the long run. We can't forget the guys who sleep outside, but use this facility for a shower everyday. We cannot forget the families that need a little bit of help with a meal once a week at St. Herman's. And we can't forget the incredible history of providing an open door to the thousands of people in need over the last 30 years.

Brian
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Homeless Congress this Thursday

County Council Member Connally to Meet with Homeless Individuals on Thursday

PRESS RELEASE: The Homeless Congress will meet on December 9, 2010 at 1 p.m. at the Bishop Cosgrove Center with C. Ellen Connally before she takes her position on the new County Council. The meeting takes place on the second floor of the Cosgrove Center in the gymnasium, and we typically have representatives living at various shelters in the community. We have invited all of the new County Council members to attend and to begin a dialogue with homeless people, and Judge Connally has agreed to discuss our issues.

The Homeless Congress has secured endorsements from 4 candidates including Judge Connally that they would support potential legislation to regulate the shelters. “Many homeless people are concerned about the conditions within the shelters, and we want a local law that will regulate the publicly funded emergency housing facilities,” said Brian Davis of NEOCH. The Congress, the Coalition, and homeless people are asking for local regulations that will be enforced by some office within the County with an ability for homeless people to file a grievance if the shelter is not performing. “We are willing to negotiate on exactly what the legislation looks like, but we want a place that will have the authority to oversee the shelters. We want to avoid another situation in which 100 women slept in a shelter for the summer with only one working shower as happened this summer,” said Davis.

Homeless people hope to have regular interactions with the County Council and County Executive as they restructure County government.

Brian
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Collecting Your Shelter Stories

Have You Had Experience with Cleveland Shelters?

The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless and the Homeless Congress are collecting the stories from people who have previously lived in a shelter in Cleveland. We want to hear both the good and the bad experiences. We want to hear from you about your discharges from the shelter or the first day that you showed up at the shelter. We want to hear about staff treatment, and the things that surprised you while staying in a shelter. We would like to know if the shelter met your expectations, and if you felt safe. We want to know that your tax dollars were being used to effectively serve the population.

NEOCH and the homeless people who attend the Homeless Congress have been trying to convince City Hall that there is a need for oversight of the shelters. The Homeless Congress members decided to start collecting stories to present to local elected officials. We have made this easy on our website. Sprinkled throughout the site is the above logo. You can click on the logo and complete the form to easily send information to the Coalition about your experiences with shelter. We will keep your identity private, but we may follow up with you to verify the information. Please send this information onto others that you know who spent time in the shelters. We want to present an accurate picture of the shelters in Cleveland.

Brian Davis
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Congrats to New County Council

Four Winning Candidates Support Regulating the Shelters

Congratulations to all the winning candidates for Cuyahoga County Council, and especially the four candidates who said that they would support some form of Shelter Standards. These men and women have an amazing job ahead of them. They have to restore confidence in government while creating a new form of government. The shelter standards are critical for this community to finally have protections against capricious evictions from shelters. This is also important for the community so we never ever place homeless people into a shelter with only one shower for 100 people. Here are the four that claimed that they would support some local standards.

District 2 Council Member
Dale Miller

District 4 Council Member
Chuck Germana

District 7 Council Member
Yvonne Conwell

District 9 Council Member
C. Ellen Connally

The Homeless Congress and NEOCH will continue to press all the new County Council to pass these regulations.

Brian Davis
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Another Incident at a Shelter

Shelter Safety??

We have talked about the increase in metal detectors at the shelters back in May. Just last week, the shelters met to talk about suggestions for improving the safety within the shelter. I guess a number of the homeless population did not get the safety forum powerpoint, because a homeless guy stabbed another guy at St. Herman's Shelter in Cleveland. As I mentioned back in May, we need a broader discussion about shelter safety and not just a discussion focusing on bag checks, metal detectors and law enforcement.

A can of soup wrapped in a sock can be a weapon (Even Campbell's Pepper Pot soup?). Focusing only on keeping weapons out of the shelter is similar to invading another country to fight a war on terror. In a free society it is impossible to keep everyone safe all the time no matter how many bag checks, metal detectors and rules the shelter develops. We need to turn our attention to all of the tasks that keep residents and staff safe, and not just looking for weapons. There are so many other issues involved in the death of a shelter director, this latest stabbing at St. Hermans, and the gun incident at one of the local shelters. The biggest issue is mental illnesses within the shelters, and the inability for some to find help. There is an issue over the lack of proper training on de-escalation techniques for shelter staff. There is the problem over an inability to teach conflict resolution to both residents and staff. There is the basic injustice of living in a shelter and having no where to turn if there is a problem. There are a lot of anger issues among the homeless population. We see issues of people being treated as a number (Bed 23) and not a human being. There is the sadness over the break up of a family or the loss of housing. It goes on and on, and so far our only response is for the homeless population to "assume the position" like a criminal when they enter the shelter.

We never had a community wide discussion to address all the issues around safety. We never reassured volunteers that the shelter staff realized that there is a problem with a perception of unsafe conditions, and are working on a response. If people keep hearing about these incidents within the shelters are they going to give money? Are they going to volunteer? People are being harmed on a regular basis. People have already died. What is it going to take for the City and County to admit that there is a problem and begin to address it?

Brian

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Coalition Updates

Photo by Sabrina Otis

County Council and Hand Up Gala and Updates

Thanks to Channel 5 WEWS for attending this last Thursday Homeless Congress meeting. We also want to thank Phyllis Crespo candidate for District 7 County Council for showing up at the September meeting and Jeff Kipp for attending the October meeting. Crespo indicated written support for the standards, Kipp expressed support but did not provide support in writing. We have posted the update County Council supporters on our website. At this time, we have two County Executive candidates out of the six who support the legislation. We have at least one candidate from every district except District 6,8,10. We have Republicans, Democrats, Green party members and Independents who support the potential legislation. Also, thanks to WTAM for doing a story on the shelter standards.

The Hand Up Gala is coming together nicely with musicians on board, some local celebrities will be serving and hosting the event. The meal is planned, and we are gathering menu items. We have sent out the invitations and are preparing the guest list. If you want to donate to this event it is easiest to go here or directly here.

Quick Takes:

• Minneapolis/St. Paul requires their shelters to provide a change of address for everyone that enters the shelter. This is great for voting participation rates. Cuyahoga County requires all publicly funded shelters to do the same, but no one actually verifies this so I am not sure it happens like it did in the past.
  
• Without the eviction assistance that we had available because of the stimulus last year, the shelters in Cleveland better be prepared for large numbers of overflow. Last winter, we had nearly $2 million available to families struggling with their housing. This year, basically only those in a subsidized housing or living in Lakewood will have access to rental assistance.
  
• I attended the ESOP gala last night, and got to hang out with some of the best housing people in the City. Judge Pianka, Dennis Kucinich, Jim Rokakis, and of course the staff of ESOP, CTO, and NEOCH were all present. If the people in that room could take control of the mortgage/foreclosure problem in our community, we would have this problem solved by December.
  
• One more thing about the ESOP Gala...There were so many bankers represented I was surprised that one did not get on stage and say, "Since there are so many homeowners/ former homeowners in the audience, if anyone comes across the origination documents for millions of mortgages could they pass them forward or drop them in the lost and found in the lobby of the hotel. "
  

Brian Davis
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Homeless Congress Asks for County Help

Poor People's March in Downtown Cleveland in 2008

County Candidates to Meet with Homeless and Congress Asks for Support for Regulating the Homeless Shelters

After two frustrating years attempting to work with the City of Cleveland to get a minimum standards bill passed, the Homeless Congress is now asking Cuyahoga County candidates to support the development of a shelter standards bill for Cuyahoga County. In an absolute violation of the state standard, the County placed 100 women per night in a shelter that only had one working shower. The Congress is asking for local regulations that will be enforced by some office within the County with an ability for homeless people to file a grievance if the shelter is not performing. All of the publicly funded shelters are in the City of Cleveland, but the County takes the lead in the providing the funding for the shelters.

The Homeless Congress has asked every candidate running for the new Cuyahoga County Council and County Executive to support the adoption of some form of local shelter regulation that every publicly funded shelter will have to follow. We have also invited the candidates for the two downtown districts (7 and 3) to attend the Homeless Congress meeting. District 7 candidate Phyllis Crespo attended the September meeting and Yvonne Conwell and Jeff Kipp both candidates from District 7 will attend the October 14, 2010 Homeless Congress meeting at 1:00 p.m. at the Cosgrove Center to talk directly to homeless people.

The candidates who have indicated support for the Shelter Standards Bill include:

• David Ellison and Ken Lanci candidates for County Executive
• Ryan McGilvray candidate for District 1 County Council member
• Dale Miller candidate for District 2 County Council member
• Patty Gascoyne and Alan Crossman candidates for District 3 County Council members
• Ann Marie Donegan candidate for District 5 County Council member
• Phyllis Crespo and Yvonne Conwell candidates for District 7 County Council members
• Laverne Jones Gore and C. Ellen Connally candidated for District 9 County Council members
• Kathryn Gambatese candidate for District 11 County Council member

ABOUT THE HOMELESS CONGRESS:

The Homeless Congress began in July 2006 with two representatives from each shelter and six from the 2100 Lakeside Men’s Shelter coming together to put forward an advocacy agenda that serves the needs of those experiencing homelessness. The Congress meets with elected officials, social service providers and bureaucrats who hold the power of the pursestring. The Congress has worked on shelter standards, a hate crimes bill, a foreclosure recovery plan, and a recommendations for housing and jobs for homeless people. The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless organizes the conference and takes notes and sets up the meeting, but the decisions are made by the members of the Congress. They meet on the second floor of the Cosgrove Center once per month in the gymnasium (enter through the back in the cafeteria).

Update 10/14/2010: Chuck Germana candidate for District 4 agreed to support the shelter regulations.

Brian Davis
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Updates

Look at the NEOCH Website...

We now have 16 items for the auction as part of the Hand Up Gala. If you would like to participate in the auction go here. Things are all coming together for this first of its kind event. We hope that many will be able to enjoy a great meal, and we hope to have support from the community.

The Homeless Congress is gathering signatures from the candidates running for County Council and County Executive to support regulating the shelters. They have obtained the support of the Green Party executive candidate David Ellison, and now six candidates running for County Council have said that they will support a bill to regulate the shelters if it comes up. We have invited the candidates from the downtown districts to the next Homeless Congress meeting. The Congress needs six candidates who win a seat on the new Council to support this legislation to get it passed by the Cuyahoga County. They will continue to work on this critical issue.

Brian
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County Council Election

State Senator Mike Foley speaks at the 2007 Homeless Memorial

Homeless Congress Asks Candidates to Support Regulating the Shelters

The Homeless Congress last week voted to ask every candidate running for the new County Council and County Executive to make a pledge that if elected they will support the regulation of the shelters. At this point, there is no law that sets a minimum standard for shelter in Cuyahoga County. We spend $30 million on homeless services, and have no ability to enforce regulations on the shelters. This has allowed 100 women to sleep in a shelter with only one shower. This lack of a policy has allowed women and men to be kicked out of the shelter at 10 p.m. forcing them to sleep in a bus shelter or on the streets. This lack of oversight has made it nearly impossible to get the government to review a complaint that a client may have with regard to a publicly funded shelter. The members of the Congress are willing to negotiate exactly how the regulations are structured, but they want something in law that will protect homeless people from being dumped out onto the streets without warning.

At this point, three candidates have endorsed the regulation of the shelters, and the full list can be found here. Thanks Phyllis Crespo of District 7, Laverne Jones Gore of District 9 and Dale Miller of District 2 for endorsing the regulations. A special thanks to Ms. Crespo who attended the Congress meeting last week to listen to homeless people. There is one more Homeless Congress meeting before the election, and we have invited District 3 and District 7 candidates to meet with representatives of the Homeless Congress.

Brian
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Latest Appeal To Mayor For Help

NEOCH Board Asks the City to Enforce Building and Housing Standards

Dear Mayor Frank Jackson:

For the past two months, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless has tried to improve conditions at the Community Women’s Shelter. Our goal is to get the same treatment for homeless women as would be extended to women living in an apartment. As you know, on May 3, 2010, residents of CWS were moved to their current and temporary facility at 1701 Payne Avenue due to renovations of the CWS building. The site contained no shower forcing women to go to nearby Cosgrove Center and North Point Men’s Transitional Shelter to shower. If this were an apartment building with 90 women and one shower, this would have been condemned the day that it opened.

NEOCH’s has worked for 10 years to improve the conditions within the shelters, and we feel that things are moving backward with this temporary location. We have spent countless hours over the last month to work on the problems at the Community Women’s Shelter. Our board member, Rosie Palfy has filed numerous complaints to city officials about the health and safety of the shelter. We filed complaints with the state, and with every department that will listen. NEOCH filed complaints with building and housing citing multiple building code violations in the first week of June. Please remember that homeless people typically spend less than 30 days in shelter, so for many this will be their only contact with City or County funded shelters.

Palfy called repeatedly and even drove downtown to check on the complaint in person, and no one answered or responded to her messages. After hearing no update on her complaint, she called Inspector Santora from the office of Building and Housing in late July. Mr. Santora had made a visual inspection of the facility and finally called Ms. Palfy on July 23, 2010, and remained adamant that the shelter is complying with all health and safety codes. Ms. Palfy cited many violations in the shelter such as the number of people per toilet and the lack of showers, the overcrowded conditions, the lack of the proper number of sinks, and the deteriorating conditions in the shelter. Inspector Santora remained unyielding in his defense of the shelter and insistence that the plumbing was adequate. However, it is our understanding that congregate living facilities must have at least one toilet and shower per 10 people. The shelter regularly has 80-100 people per night with four working toilets and only one shower. Mr. Santora was described as “rude” during their phone conversation by Ms. Palfy.

The inspector could not explain why the certificate of occupancy indicates that the shelter can only have 50 beds, but now has 80 beds and as many as 100 women sleeping in the shelter. The inspector indicated that he toured the showers in the building around the corner to see where the women shower. Despite the fact that there is nothing in the building and housing code that allows residential facilities to have showers available for a few hours a day down the street. The inspector did not check on the fact that women were using the urinals because there are not enough toilets, and that the water pressure is so low it is often the case that they do not flush. The inspector’s response was, “Where do you think they would be going if they were [sleeping] outside?”

Santora believed that the women were not in any imminent danger and so was unwilling to take corrective action. We have done as much as we can to prevent harm, but are not receiving any help from the City. We have already seen a majority of the women not showering. We have already had women going to the hospital because of infections. Inspector Santora seemed to be treating the Coalition as the enemy here, and he seemed to indicate that it was our intention to shut down the facility and make the women homeless again. This is not our intention or our goal. We just want the women to live in humane conditions, and for the City and County to take this problem seriously. We ask that the bureaucrats who spent a year planning this move to admit that they made a mistake in not planning for the proper number of showers and the large number of women who needed shelter, and fix their mistake. NEOCH is asking for your help to stand up for the women in the shelter. Your intervention can help improve the conditions in the shelter. We are always willing to help, but we cannot tolerate the conditions that the women are living under.

Sincerely yours,

Marcia Bufford

Bufford also sent this to Building and Housing Director Rybka as a follow up to the early June complaint and members of Cleveland City Council.
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Shelter Still Lacking in Showers

NEOCH Scolded For Asking for Decent Conditions

In an interview with Ohio News Network about the debacle surrounding the temporary location of the Community Women Shelter, Cleveland’s chief of Public Affairs, Natoya Walker Minor, claimed that NEOCH is “completely wrong on [our push for improved condition for the 80 women currently sleeping at the shelter].” She went on to say that the issue “has gained too much notoriety for a temporary situation.”

Much of the notoriety the issue has gained has been because of the Board of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless voicing concerns over the shelter, which is accommodating more people every night than that building can handle, and only has one shower. Because of these issues, NEOCH feels that this location is unacceptable for human habitation, regardless of whether it is a temporary situation. After all, half the women who enter the shelter today will not be there by the middle of August. So, there entire experience with homelessness will be at a facility without enough showers, beds, sinks or toilets.

Because the city and the county have largely dismissed the pleas and concerns of the NEOCH Board, they have filed complaints with the State, the fire department, and other government entities. NEOCH Board members, however, question the planning process that preceded the shelter’s relocation. Walker Minor and Cuyahoga County Director of Homeless Services Ruth Gillett said they spent between six months to a year planning the renovations and move of the shelter, but were unable to find a facility with showers.

"The question is why do city and county officials think that inhumane and intolerable living conditions are acceptable under any circumstances -- temporary or otherwise? That is the most disturbing part of all of this,” said board member Rosie Palfy. The NEOCH Board cannot understand how any plan involving a temporary shelter did not consider the shower needs of the women and the natural increases in homeless women every summer. The facility has had over 100 women on some nights with even pregnant women sleeping on the floor on a mat.

“I’ll be the first to admit, it is inconvenient,” Walker Minor told ONN. NEOCH maintains that this inconvenient solution is not an acceptable one, especially after a year of planning. If there was an apartment building with 90 residents and only one working shower, that building would quickly be condemned and the residents would be immediately moved into a facility that is in compliance with the law. “Why do homeless women and pregnant women have to suffer through this summer sleeping on the floor without adequate bathroom facilities because of poor planning and an unwillingness to seek help from the public to pay for a decent temporary shelter,” asked Marcia Bufford, NEOCH Board President?

These problems, accompanied by the sweltering heat Cleveland has encountered recently, combine to exacerbate the issues facing the women staying at the temporary shelter. The shelters need to maintain compliance with some minimum level of basic standards, and should not place women who have already experienced extreme hardship into a facility that is so overcrowded and does not provide a place for women to practice good hygiene as they prepare for job interviews or a meetings with potential landlords.

Press Release by Marcia Bufford and Rosie Palfy
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Women's Shelter Population Growing

Is there anywhere that is free out there in Cleveland to house 100 homeless women?

Rising Temperatures and Resident Counts at Women’s Shelter Continue to Worry NEOCH Board Members

Nearly two weeks after Natoya Walker Minor, Cleveland’s Chief of Public Affairs, and Ruth Gillett, Cuyahoga County’s Director of Homeless Services, refused an invitation from the female board members of Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless to spend two nights at the Community Women’s Shelter, conditions continued to deteriorate over the holiday weekend.

As the weekend temperatures soared, so did the number of homeless women seeking shelter at the temporary location. The almost 80 women found themselves enduring the scorching heat wave in a shelter with only one shower. During previous years, this shelter has traditionally housed about 100 women a day during the summer months. Despite this fact, Walker Minor and Gillett made the decision to relocate the women to a facility designed to house only 50 people when the publicly-funded shelter closed in early May for renovation.

Each government official said that they had spent years planning for the renovation and searching for temporary sites, yet they chose a building with only one shower, five sinks and five toilets. Walker Minor and Gillett declined the invitation to stay at the shelter, whose facilities they agreed were “inconvenient”, but “doable.”

Due to their poor planning, the residents have been forced to use showers at the nearby Bishop Cosgrove Center and North Point Men’s Transitional shelter. Cosgrove was closed over the holiday weekend as well as on Monday. During this time, the women’s only other option was North Point, which only has one shower available for their use.

“There are too many people living in that shelter. They've run out of beds, so some women are sleeping on mats on the floor. This building is clearly not designed to accommodate the needs of that many people," said Rosie Palfy, a NEOCH board member. "There is absolutely no way that nearly 80 women can be expected to adequately bathe themselves under these conditions."

The steady increase in the number of women sleeping in this shelter has caused concerns about the women’s hygiene and safety while in the shelter. The current situation violates not only Ohio’s Basic Shelter Standards, but also Cleveland’s building and housing codes. Aside from these issues, the limited number of showers continues to cause worry about its inaccessibility to disabled women and fear about the residents’ ability to find and maintain employment.

“We cannot risk women getting a staph infection or losing their job because they cannot maintain their personal hygiene,” said Marcia Bufford NEOCH's board president. The board continues to fight for shelter standards and stands unified in their decision to challenge city and county officials to improve the living conditions for homeless women.

Marcia Bufford and Rosie Palfy are the contacts for this information

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Post Script: After this release was developed, we have been told that 100 women are now sleeping in the shelter. Ruth and Natoya would know this if they had accepted our offer to sleep at the shelter.

City and County Officials Refuse to Sleep in Shelter

No Access to Showers is “Doable” for Women Struggling With Housing but Not for County and City Bureaucrats!

Last week female board members from the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless extended an invitation to Ruth Gillett from the County Office of Homeless Services and Natoya Walker Minor Public Affairs Director of the City of Cleveland to spend two nights at the shelter. After Gillett and Walker Minor toured the shelter, they informed the women that while it was “inconvenient” to only have only one shower on site, it was “doable.” After one year of planning this renovation, Gillett and Walker Minor made the decision to relocate the women to a temporary shelter without a shower, and now they refuse to sleep in a shelter that they created.

Gillett responded via an e-mail letter saying, “It would serve no purpose other than to take space away from someone who needs it.” Walker Minor did not respond. Gillett’s response is puzzling since just this weekend the facility had 9 women sleeping on mats in the day room, and the women would welcome City and County officials to join them on a mat in the shelter.

The Community Women’s Shelter is the entry point for the women’s shelter system, and is not supposed to turn anyone away. It was recently moved to a commercial building at 1701 Payne Ave. that has only one shower that must serve 77 people every night. The City and County, in a letter to the Coalition, contends that this is only a temporary issue, because the regular shelter is currently undergoing renovations and will be ready in the fall. We have to ask if the City would issue an occupancy permit to any residence in the community if in order to shower, the resident had to walk to a building down the street. “We want Ruth and Natoya to spend the night at the shelter and then tell the community if 1701 Payne is appropriate for the mothers and grandmothers who become homeless this summer,” said board member Rosie Palfy.

The Coalition Board is unified in its condemnation of the City and County for violating building and housing codes, Ohio Basic Shelter Standards, basic hygiene requirements and infectious disease protocols by placing 70 women for the summer in a facility that is absolutely unacceptable for congregate living. The NEOCH Board want the two women who made this decision to see how difficult it is for disabled women to maintain their personal hygiene in the Community Women’s Shelter. We want to show that without access to showers it is difficult to find or maintain a job, and we want Walker Minor and Gillett to see how their decisions are harming these women. “Anytime they would care to join us in an overnight or weekend stay, the female board members from NEOCH will gladly join them. We cannot risk women getting a staph infection or losing their job because they cannot maintain their personal hygiene,” said NEOCH board president, Marcia Bufford.

Press Release by Marcia Bufford and Rosie Palfy

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